1. JACOB1 CRIGLER was born WFT Est. 1685-1693 in Germany, and died Bef. 03 Apr 1734 in Culpeper County, Virginia. He married SUSANNA CLORE WFT Est. 1718-1721 in prob. Culpeper County, Virginia, daughter of HANS KLAAR and ANNA ???. She was born Bet. 1691 - 1692 in Gemmingen, Wuerttemberg, Germany.

Notes for JACOB CRIGLER:
Immigrated from Germany to the Germanna settlement in Culpeper County, Virginia in 1717.

Notes for SUSANNA CLORE:
This article by John Blankenbaker details the life of Susanna Clore/Klaar, which has been confused by many researchers:

In the Vol. 3, No. 3 issue of Beyond Germanna (May 1991), Margaret Brown Altendahl wrote about Susanna Clore Weaver Crigler Yager (using the English version of these names). As implied by the four surnames, Susanna Klaar (her maiden name in Germany) was married three times. She, with her first husband and their family, were members of the Colony of 1717.

Some of this information has become known only since 1989. Furthermore, two daughters have been confirmed in recent years and marriage partners for four daughters have been identified, some for the first time. Her story is a testimony to research.

On 26 January 1706, Susanna Klaar married Phillip Joseph Weber in Gemmingen, Baden. She was born before the church records for Gemmingen began but another record allows us to put her birth year at about 1692. Thus, she was not very old when she married Joseph Weber. The Gemmingen birth records show that six children were born to the couple in 1707, 1708, 1709, 1710, 1713, and 1715. The first three died at a very young age and the sixth died not far past his first birthday. The two surviving children were Hans Dieterich (Peter) and Maria Sophia born in 1710 and 1713, respectively. At least one more daughter in this family was born after the departure from Gemmingen.

When the families from Gemmingen left in 1717, the sexton at the church made an entry in the church book noting their departure. For the Webers, it was (translated):

“Joseph Weber and wife Susanna. He is 30 and she is 25 years old.
Hannss Dieterich, seven years old (he was studying for his confirmation).
Sophia, not yet four years old, an infant [i.e., too young for confirmation].”

[The ages for Joseph and Susanna may have been estimates.] One other family who left at the same time was Susanna’s brother Michael Klaar, his wife Maria Barbara, and their family. The sexton gave the reason that the families were leaving which reads in translation:

“On July 12th of this year the below listed parents including their children moved away from here at night with the intention to sail over to Pennsylvania in order to earn their piece of bread better than here through the hard work of cultivating the wilderness. Yet quite many people went away not only from here but also from other places, and all went with the same intention.”

The group that left was unfortunate in their choice of a ship and captain who took them not to Pennsylvania but to Virginia. The Weavers, as they became known in Virginia, were indentured to Alexander Spotswood who placed them along the north side of the Rapidan River just above Germanna. Later they moved to the Robinson River Valley “at the Great Mountains.” Spotswood later used their headrights in payment for a tract of land. There the Weaver family appears as:

This is the only record in Virginia where the name of Joseph Weber appears. The last name in this list of five does not appear in the Gemmingen church records so the best assumption is she was born en route to America. The name Wabburie is most likely a nickname for Walburga. Later in life, she became known as Burga and appears as such in the “Hebron” church records. There is no evidence that any children were born to Joseph and Susanna after arrival in America.

With the death of Joseph Weaver, Susanna Clore Weaver married Jacob Crigler. (The German spelling of Crigler is unknown.) To this union, four surviving children were born:
Christopher,
Nicholas,
Susanna,
Elizabeth.

There had been speculation that Jacob and Susanna had at least one daughter Margaret but the evidence for this was erroneous. By an intensive analysis of the German Lutheran Church records (“Hebron”), it is possible to say with a high probability, better than most cases, that there were the two daughters.

Jacob Crigler died about 1734 when Susanna was appointed administratrix in April. She later married Nicholas Yeager. They had no children but the church records show that the earlier children of Susanna were very much at home in the Yeager home.

At least eleven children born to Susanna have been identified. Seven of these lived to become active and reproductive members of the Germanna community.

The oldest child was Peter Weaver who converted his calling name of Dieterich to Dieter and then to Peter as a close English sound. Peter married Elizabeth. Some people believe that they have identified Elizabeth’s family but I’ll refrain from repeating it, not because I think it is wrong but because I have never made a study of the case. The Germanna Records have identified Peter Weaver as a “later comer” but this is clearly an error as he did arrive in 1717.

Maria Sophia Weaver, the second child, married Peter Fleshman. The analysis, quite involved but very conclusive, shows this to be the case (see Beyond Germanna, Vol. 13, No. 5, p. 767). Very extensive use of the church records (Baptisms and Communicants) was made and shows the power of association among people as indicators of relationships.

Burga or Wabburie were probably nicknames for Walburga (Weaver). She married John Willheit, son of Michael Willheit the early immigrant. Germanna Record 13 says John’s wife was Margaret (Peggy) Weaver, the daughter of Peter and Mary (Huffman) Weaver, Jr. The problem with this assignment is that John’s wife would have been younger than some of her children. By using the headright record above and the church records, it is possible to say John Willheit’s wife was Walburga Weaver. An extensive analysis of this situation was made in Beyond Germanna, Vol. 6, No. 3, p. 321.

Christopher Crigler, born prior to 1723 by the analysis of B. C. Holtzclaw, married Catherine Finks. He has eleven children given in the German Lutheran Church records.

Nicholas Crigler married Margaret Kaefer. The names of nine children, two of whom are dead, are given in the church records.

Susanna Crigler married Michael Utz. Susanna was probably older than her sister Elizabeth and both were probably younger than their two brothers. There is an outside chance that Susanna and Elizabeth were daughters of Joseph Weaver but when the ages of their spouses are considered, it is likely that they were daughters of Jacob Crigler (Beyond Germanna, Vol. 15, No. 3, p. 872).

Elizabeth Crigler married Michael Yager. Many records say that Michael Yager married Elizabeth Manspiel but there is no support for this idea. A detailed analysis of the church records shows that Elizabeth Crigler was the very probable wife of Michael Yager (Beyond Germanna, Vol. 15, No. 4, p. 869).

Germanna Record 6 suggests that Jacob and Susanna Crigler had a daughter Margaret who married Henry Aylor. This is a mistake as Henry Aylor married Margaret Thomas.

At different times, many people have contributed to this research. The first published information on the Gemmingen church records was by Gary Zimmerman and Johni Cerny. Suggestions and analysis of the Virginia information were made by Craig Kilby, Nancy Dodge, and John Blankenbaker who wrote up the conclusions.

In the last fifteen years many errors connected with Susanna Clore have been corrected and omissions filled. The church records in Germany and in Virginia were extremely important in accomplishing this. Some of the information is given explicitly and much of it is given implicitly. The implicit information requires hours to draw out the conclusions but the value of the information is not weakened in any way. As to circumstantial evidence, “when the milk contains fish, you may assume that it has been watered.”

It is a help to study the community, not an individual family.

Account of Susanna Clore's three marriages, although the order appears to be in error. Nicholas Yager appears to be Susanna's THIRD marriage, not her FIRST, as indicated in this account Susanna's first marriage was to Phillip Joseph Weber on 26 Jan 1706, her second marriage was to Jacob Crigler, between 1718-1721, and her third marriage was to Nicholas Yager, after the death of Jacob Crigler in 1734.

On April 3 1734, Susanna Crigler gave bond in Spotsylvania County as administrator of Jacob Crigler's estate. She later became the second wife of Nicholas Yager of the 1717 Germanna Colony. She last appears in the records on April 6, 1764, when she deeds slaves to her two sons by Jacob Crigler.

Susanna married (1) Nicholaus "Old Nicks" Yager son of Paul Yager. Nicholaus was born on 28 May 1676 in Oberzell, Weichersbach, Hesse, Germany. He died on 6 Apr 1764 in Hebron Community, Madison Co, Va.

Original spelling Jager. English variations: Yager, Jeager, and Yeager. Nicholas and wife, Mary, emigrated to Virginia in 1717 with their two children, Adam and Mary. Nicholas intended to join brothers, Adam & Henry, in PA (1717), but the ship was blown off course, landing in Norfolk, VA. Capt. Scott indentured the family to Gov. Spotswood who worked them in his mines for 8 years. He proved his importation papers on July 13, 1722 and again on May. Additional data from material prepared by Vaughan & Jean PARRISH and supplied by Richard A. YEAGER, Bothell, WA.

The birth record of Nicholas Yeager is in the church in
Oberzell, a tiny community near Weichersbach, Germany.
This record indicates that Nicholas was born in
Oberzell, christened in Oberzell and that his father,
Hans Jager, lived in Oberzell. The German spelling of
his name as written on his birth record, is Nicholas
Jager, and the date of his birth 28 May 1676. The
complete social upheavel occasioned by the Thirty Years
War (1618-1648) may have had its effects upon record
keeping. Nicholas was naturalized 13 July 1722 during
the governorship of Alexander Spottswood. The Orange
County, Virginia records show that he had to take out
naturalization papers the second time 2 May 1727.
Nicholas, like others in the 1717 group, was sued by the
Governor for his transportation money in 1724. He
endured the hardships of Germanna until the small colony
left this first home and settled on the Robinson River,
in what is now Madison County, Va. Nicholas Yeager made
his first patent of land in the new place of settlement
on 24 June 1726 (Patent Book 12 page 483 Land Office
Richmond, Virginia). This patent reads as follows: "Unto
Nicholas Yager of Saint George Parish, in Spotsylvania
County, one certain tract or parcell of land containing
four hundred acres, lying and being in the Parish and
county aforesaid and in the first forks of the Rapidan
River". Although he had other land exchanges and
acquired others he lived on this original tract of land
until his death. (Verne RESER)

GEDCOM provided by Doug Mumma !Original spelling Jager. English variations: Yager, Jeager, and Yeager. Nicholas and wife, Mary, emigrated to Virginia in 1717 with their two children, Adam and Mary. Nicholas intended to join brothers, Adam & Henry, in PA (1717), but the ship was blown off course, landing in Norfolk, VA. Capt. Scott indentured the family to Gov. Spotswood who worked them in his mines for 8 years. He proved his importation papers on July 13, 1722 and again on May. Additional data from material prepared by Vaughan & Jean PARRISH and supplied by Richard A. YEAGER, Bothell, WA.

The birth record of Nicholas Yeager is in the church in
Oberzell, a tiny community near Weichersbach, Germany.
This record indicates that Nicholas was born in
Oberzell, christened in Oberzell and that his father,
Hans Jager, lived in Oberzell. The German spelling of
his name as written on his birth record, is Nicholas
Jager, and the date of his birth 28 May 1676. The
complete social upheavel occasioned by the Thirty Years
War (1618-1648) may have had its effects upon record
keeping. Nicholas was naturalized 13 July 1722 during
the governorship of Alexander Spottswood. The Orange
County, Virginia records show that he had to take out
naturalization papers the second time 2 May 1727.
Nicholas, like others in the 1717 group, was sued by the
Governor for his transportation money in 1724. He
endured the hardships of Germanna until the small colony
left this first home and settled on the Robinson River,
in what is now Madison County, Va. Nicholas Yeager made
his first patent of land in the new place of settlement
on 24 June 1726 (Patent Book 12 page 483 Land Office
Richmond, Virginia). This patent reads as follows: "Unto
Nicholas Yager of Saint George Parish, in Spotsylvania
County, one certain tract or parcell of land containing
four hundred acres, lying and being in the Parish and
county aforesaid and in the first forks of the Rapidan
River". Although he had other land exchanges and
acquired others he lived on this original tract of land
until his death. (Verne RESER)

Info received from John Wayland: longjohn@abt.net 28 Apr 1998
Had two sons by Susanna Clore Weaver.

Was one of the original 1717 colonists to Germanna in Virginia, and the first of these to be sued by Col. Spotswood in 1723. His widow was appointed administratrix of his estate 3 Apr 1734. He had at least two sons, Christopher and Nicholas, and probably a daughter Margaret who m. Henry Aylor, grandson of Henry Snyder the 1717 immigrants. See Germanna Record No. 6. Name also spelled Creagler, Criegler, Krugler, etc.

Christopher and his wife Catherine communed at Hebron Lutheran Church until
1787.

Christopher's will is recorded at Culpeper VA, May 30, 1809, in Will Book
F, page 119 and reads as follows;

'In the name of God, Amen, I Christopher Crigler of the County of Culpeper,
a citizen of the United States do make, ordain and declare this is my
instrument which is written and every page thereof subscribed with my name,
to be my last will and testament, revoking all others.

All debts of which there are few and none of magnitude are to be paid
promptly, and my will carried out. I bequeth to my daughter Elizabeth
Taylor one hundred acres of land, corner to John Finks. I have no money to
pay for her being security for her administration of estate of David
Yowell, deceased. If I have any money to pay on account it must come out of
this I leave her and her daughters.

To my son William Crigler the land I now live on, with all improvements,
and after my death, my will is that my whole personal estate be equally
divided among all children. I appoint William Crigler and Lewis Crigler
executors of my estate.

Christopher Crigler was commissioned an Ensign in the Culpeper Militia,
August 18, 1763. He is also listed as a Patriot by the Sons of the American
Revolution and the Daughters of the American Revolution.

"The will of Nicholas Crigler is recorded at Madison County, VA in Will
Book 3, page 1, and reads as follows:

In the name of God, Amen, I Nicholas Crigler of Madison County and the
State of Virginia do make and appoint this my last will and testament,
hereby revoking all former will or wills by me made and establishing this
my only one in manner and following:

Item 1, I give and bequeath unto my two grandchildren Elizabeth and Susanna
Crigler my tract of land whereon Benjamin Broyles now lives, to be equally
divided between them, which I give them and their heirs forever; but in
case either of them should die without heirs, then their part of said land,
shall be equally divided amongst all of my children. I also give to my two
said grandchildren their father's part or share of my property that has not
been sold or bonds taken in my name, due at my death, which bonds I give to
them and their heirs forever.

Item II, I give unto my son Aaron for the expense and trouble he is at me,
all the balance and residue of my estate, real and personal or mixed of
every kind and whenever found, which I give to him and his heirs forever.

Lastly, I constitute and appoint my son Aaron and my grandson Jacob
executors to this my last will given under my hand and seal this 28th day
of February 1811.

Elizabeth Crigler married Michael Yager. Many records say that Michael Yager married Elizabeth Manspiel but there is no support for this idea. A detailed analysis of the church records shows that Elizabeth Crigler was the very probable wife of Michael Yager (Beyond Germanna, Vol. 15, No. 4, p. 869).

Michael Yager (Adam, Nicholas) was born 29 June 1728 in Spotsylvania (now Madison) County, Virginia and died in Madison County, Virginia between 16 July 1793 when his will was written and 27 February 1794 when his will was proved. He married Elizabeth Crigler, daughter of Jacob Crigler and Susanna Klaar, about 1749 (estimated date). She was born about 1728-1733 in Virginia (estimated date) and died about 1811 in Madison County, Virginia.

Known children of Michael Yager and Elizabeth Crigler, all born in Culpeper (now Madison) County, Virginia:
1. John Yager, born 25 November 1750; died after 6 May 1816, Lincoln County, Tennessee
2. Samuel Yager, born 28 December 1752; died after 1835
3. Barbara Yager, born 13 August 1755; baptized at Hebron Lutheran Church; died soon after birth.
4. Susannah Yager, born 5 January 1759; baptized Hebron Lutheran church; probably died before 16 July 1793.
5. Eva Yager, born 11 March 1760.
6. Elizabeth Yager, born 15 July 1762; died 7 September 1828, Oldham County, Kentucky.
7. Jemima Yager, born 13 December 1764; died after 10 June 1816, probably in Kentucky.
8. Michael Yager, born 13 January 1768; died 20 December 1840, Madison County, Virginia.
9. Hannah Yager, born 1 December 1770; died between 29 October 1838 - 28 May 1839, Madison County, Virginia
10. Rachel Yager, born 10 March 1773; died 29 May 1858, Page County, Virginia.

The will of Michael Yager was written 16 July 1793 and recorded in Madison County, Virginia Will Book 1, pages 34-36. He mentions "being very Sick and weak in Body, but of perfect mind and memory." He lends to "Dearly beloved wife Elizabeth" all his possessions of land and slaves during her life, also the corp then on his plantation, choice of two horses, the wagon and gear, all plantation "utensils", all household furniture, cattle and hogs. He desired that "all my Children now living with me may be made equal in portion to my first Children that was married." After wife's decease, estate to be divided "Equably" among the children "only John Who has had 60£, pounds more than the rest and after the rest are made equal with him he has an equal part of the remainder of my estate with all the rest," Samuel, Eve, Elizabeth, Jemima, Hannah, Michael and Rachel. Wife named executrix and son Michael and brother Godfrey named executors. Witnesses were Ephraim Berry, Christopher Dicken and Benja. Dicken. The will was exhibited in Court and proved by the oaths of witnesses Christopher Dicken and Benjamin Dicken on 27 February 1794. Probate was granted on motion of Elizabeth Yager and Michael Yager, two of the Executors.

27 February 1794 Benjamin Dicken, Henry Lewis Senr, Adam Glore & Richard Dicken or any three of them ordered to value and appraise the slaves, if any, and personal estate of Michael Yeager deceased
24 April 1794 Inventory and appraisement of the Estate of Michael Yeager decd returned and ordered to be recorded
1794-1816 Michael Yager Decd taxed in Madison County, Virginia for 200 acres.
28 April 1796 Elizabeth Yager purchased 72 acres on Double Top Mountain from John Yager for £100
1797 Elizabeth Yager taxed in Madison County, Virginia for 4 slaves over 16, 1 young slave and 3 horses
1797-1807 Elizabeth Yager taxed in Madison County, Virginia for 72 acres
1798-1799 Elizabeth Yager taxed in Madison County, Virginia for 3 slaves over 16, 1 young slave and 3 horses
1800-1801 Elizabeth Yager taxed in Madison County, Virginia for 3 slaves over 16, 1 young slave and 4 horses
1802 Elizabeth Yager taxed in Madison County, Virginia for 3 slaves over 16, 1 young slave and 7 horses
1803 Elizabeth Yager taxed in Madison County, Virginia for 4 slaves over 16 and 8 horses
1804 Elizabeth Yager taxed in Madison County, Virginia for 1[?] slave over 16 and 9 horses
1805 Elizabeth Yager taxed in Madison County, Virginia for 4 slaves over 16 and 4 horses
1806 Elizabeth Yager taxed in Madison County, Virginia for 4 slaves over 16 and 5 horses
25 November 1806 Michael Yager's estate sale was held and was recorded 26 November 1807. The sales totaled £1226.8.10 netting each of the heirs, Elisha Yager (husband of Elizabeth), Robert Brown (husband of Eve), Samuel Yager (son of Michael), John Yager S.C. (son of Michael), John H. Yager (husband of Hannah), Rachel Yager (daughter of Michael), James Walker (husband of Jemima) and Michael Yager (son of Michael), £153.6.1 1/4. Executor Michael Yager was allowed one and half percent on the sum of the estate for his services.
1809-1811 Elizabeth Yager taxed in Madison County, Virginia for 72 acres
25 April 1816 Michael Yager and Peggy his wife, John Yager and Hannah his wife and Rachael Yager sold 233 acres formerly owned by Michael Yager deceased to Zachariah and Thomas Shurley £215.10.06
10 June 1816 Elisha Yager and wife Elizabeth, Robert Brown and wife Eve and Samuel Yager of Franklin County, Kentucky and James Walker and wife Jemima of Shelby County, Kentucky conveyed their interest in the 233 acres formerly owned by Michael Yager to Zachariah and Thomas Shirley, price not specified, recorded 24 October 1816. They appointed Felix Yager Power of Attorney.

Sources:
Hebron Lutheran Church Register, Volume 2
Madison County, Virginia Will Book 1
John Blankenbaker, "Elizabeth, the Wife of Michael Yager", Beyond Germanna, Volume 15, No. 3, (May 2003)
Culpeper County, Virginia Land and Personal Property Tax Lists
Madison County, Virginia Land and Personal Property Tax Lists
Orange County, Virginia Deed Book 2
Culpeper County, Virginia Deed Book B
Culpeper County, Virginia Deed Book E
Culpeper County, Virginia Will Book A
Culpeper County, Will Book B
Madison County, Virginia Deed Book 1
Madison County, Virginia Deed Book 6
Madison County, Virginia Order Book 1
Madison County, Virginia Will Book 2
Peggy S. Joiner, Virginia Northern Neck Warrants and Surveys, Volume 5